Yamabiko Clan
|image name=Yamabiko Clan.png |english=Yamabiko Clan |unnamed clan=No |literal=Echo Clan |other=Sound Demon Clan |affiliations=Sunagakure |Kekkei Genkai=Echo (Kasumi), Sound Release (Kasumi) |media=Anime, Manga, Game, Movie }} The Yamabiko Clan of blind shinobi that reside in Sunagakure. They are famous for being the only clan with a Mijutsu (耳術, English TV: Audible Jutsu, Literally meaning: Ear Techniques) Kekkei Genkai. The clan may be small, but they have a very large presence in the shinobi world with many shinobi who fear and respect them. Background The origins of the Yamabiko Clan is cloaked in mystery and rumors. One of the more common and logical rumors is the clan is descended from a blind shinobi. The blindness turned out to be a genetic trait which his children inherited and their children after them. In order to supplement for their blindness an ability was born in the members of the clan. An ability that would be later known as the Echo Kekkei Genkai. With a powerful Kekkei Genkai flowing through their veins the clan quickly became famous for their incredible prowess on the battlefield, despite their blindness. The clan that was once an embarrassment to Suna was now one of their strongest clans. As years passed the clan quickly grew in size and power. The respect that shinobi from their village and beyond once had turned to fear. Fear that one day a shinobi will be born into the Yamabiko Clan who will want revenge for how the clan used to be treated before the Echo Kekkei Genkai was born. This fear became reality when a shinobi by the name of Yobuko Yamabiko was born. Yobuko Yamabiko was blessed not only with the Echo Kekkei Genkai, but with a Kekkei Genkai that has never appeared in the clan before. Sound Release. The two Kekkei Genkai and his immense talent as a shinobi allowed him to quickly climb the ranks of the clan and become the clan leader. Once he became leader he announced to the world that he wanted the Yamabiko Clan to rule over the shinobi to punish the world for the disrespect they used to show to the Yamabiko Clan. It took the combined efforts of Konohagakure and Sunagakure to stop the Yamabiko Clan. Many shinobi in the clan had died and now it was only 10% of how large it used to be. In order to stop what Yobuko did to happen again the clan agreed with Suna's request that no more then 200 members of the Yamabiko Clan should be alive at one time. It wasn't a complete lost though. Yobuko had two children both of which had his Sound Release Kekkei Genkai. Sound Release spread quickly and after a few generations it became a very common Kekkei Genkai in the clan. Attributes and Abilities One of the many things that have made the Yamabiko Clan famous is their blindness. All members of the Yamabiko Clan are blind even those whose other parent is from a clan with a Dōjutsu Kekkei Genkai like the Hyūga Clan. When such a thing happens their Echo Kekkei Genkai absorbs the primary ability of the other parent's Dōjutsu Kekkei Genkai. In the example of the Hyūga Clan the child would be able to hear the chakra change directions to allow them to know where Tenketsu are on the body. Despite being blind the members of the Yamabiko Clan are in no way helpless and their blindness seems to not effect their daily life or life as a shinobi. This is thanks to their Echo Kekkei Genkai, which more then makes up for their blindness. All members of the Yamabiko Clan are able to keep this Kekkei Genkai that is crucial for their life, active at all times from the moment they are born. This is because of their natural aptitude for controlling chakra. Their ability to control chakra is so great that learning how to use General Skills like the Clone Technique is like learning how to walk the two just so happens that many of the members are able to use the General Skills the moment they walk. As they grow older controlling chakra becomes easier and easier for them until it is second nature like walking. This leads many shinobi outside of the clan to describe the older members of the Yamabiko Clan's skill with controlling chakra as "Chakrakinesis." On the down side the potency of their chakra is usually below normal with a few exceptions. This is because the Yamabiko Clan don't concern themselves with power, aggression, anger, and other emotions. Instead, they favor traits like calmness, wisdom, and generosity. They favor these traits so much that their chakra draws power from these emotions the more present these emotions are in their head the stronger their chakra is, which is another reason why their chakra isn't that potent. They view chakra as less of a tool and more of a guide toward harmony with the world around them. It is easy to see why they would think that considering the nature of Echo and how it allows them to hear the world around them through chakra. The Yamabiko Clan are also known for their prowess on the battlefield. In the past when they were trying to take over the world it took the combined efforts of two villages to stop this single clan and the clan has grown stronger since then. Although they are naturally skilled with all forms of jutsu some of them specialize in Taijutsu and bolster their Taijutsu skill with Echo. How members of the Yamabiko Clan bolster their Taijutsu varies greatly. Some use it to always be one step ahead of their opponent, some use it to be attuned to their surroundings by hearing vibrations on the ground, or some other way. When they do Ninjutsu or Genjutsu though exceptions are not uncommon. Some example of passive uses of Ninjutsu and Genjutsu are Chakra Flow to add additional effects to their strikes or Sly Mind Affect Technique to make their opponent more prone to missing. In terms of nature transformations their Sound Release has made made them have a natural affinity for Wind Release while their ideals has given them a second affinity for Yang Release. They are known as one of the greatest Wind Release users in Suna and members of the clan aren't thought of as adults until they can use Wind Release: Great Breakthrough and Flying Wind God Technique. Their skill with Yang Release means that Medical-nin are a very common sight in the clan and those who can are trained in Medical Ninjutsu from the moment they can walk. The clan's affinity for Wind Release allows all members of the clan to be born with the ability to detect changes and disturbances in the air. This allows them to sense incoming attacks and those who are trying to hide from their Echo. How well developed this sixth sense differs between on user to the next. Most shinobi of the clan have developed this sense to the point that the combination of Echo and the sixith sense results in hyper awareness. Very few details if any will miss their notice and they will usually know when they are in a Genjutsu for users who have developed the sense to this point. Kekkei Genkai As mentioned before all members of the Yamabiko Clan are born with the ability to use Echo. Outside of a few exceptions their skill with Echo at birth is relatively high, giving them access to most of the abilities of Echo that they would need to live easily, despite their blindness. Only through training will Echo's more combat-focused abilities will show itself. After decades of intense training and a brush with death, will a member of Yamabiko Clan be able to awaken Echo's evolved form Absolute Echo. Yamabiko Clan's Sound Release doesn't appear in every member of the clan, but it is common. Those who can use it awaken it at birth. In the beginning they can only use it to change the pitch of their voice and project their voice, but as time passes more of Sound Release's abilities will begin to awaken. All of Sound Release's abilities usually don't appear until age 12 and it takes most users another three years of intense training to master Sound Release. Yamabiko Clan does have a third Kekkei Genkai not counting Absolute Echo, but many don't consider it an official Kekkei Genkai. The Kekkei Genkai is Typhoon Release and it only appears in shinobi who are in the Yamabiko Clan and another Wind Release-focused clan. When a member of the clan with Typhoon Release does appear they are usually chosen to be future leaders of the Yamabiko Clan. Trivia *The name Sound Demon Clan is a pun referring to their focus on sounds and hearing and their wise Jedi-like nature. Category:Ninja Clans Category:Sand Clans Category:Yamabiko Clan